Fuse changer



March 31. 1925. 1,531,567

T. E. NIBL-ocK FUSE CHANGER originained'eb. 1e. 192'2 l A genk l Y l S b21 "I: r. I 'l' 44A Patented Mar. 31, 1925.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE-.

' TK OIAS E. NIBLOCK, 0F GREAT FALLS, MONTANA.

FUSE CHANGER.

Application nled February 16, 1922, Serial No. 537,105. Renewed August 20, 1924.

To all 'whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, THOMAS E. N'IBLOGK, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Great Falls, in the county of Cascade and State of Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fuse Changers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a fuse changer and more particularly to a device adapted for handling fuses used in connection with high voltage electrical circuits. It often occurs that fuses used in connection with high voltage electrical circuits blow and need to be replaced without the circuit being cut olf. This is especially true in connection with primary circuits of potential transformers used for supplying voltage to instruments. To withdraw a blown fuse and substitute a new fuse while the primary circuit is still charged, places the operator in a precarious position, in that the high voltage is capable of jumping a considerable disstance to a ground and thus produces the possibility of current jumping to ground thru the operator.

With the above in view, it is the primary object .of the present invention to provide a device whereby a high potential fuse may be positioned under the circumstances mentioned without danger to the operator.

It is also an object of the invention that the device be easy to manipulate.v

4 It is also within the scope of the"objects of the invention that the device be exceedingly strong, simple in construction and inex ensive to manufacture.

ther objects and objects relating to de- -tails of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, will hereinafter appear in the detailed descri tion to follow.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanyingv drawings, in which i Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the fuse chan er and also illustrating the manner in whlch the same may be operated.

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the same. j

Figure 3 is transverse sectional view taken substantially on the lines 3-3 of Figure v2.

. Figure 4 is a partial vertical sectional view similar to that shown in Figure 2 and illustrating the jaws when in distended position.

Referring to the drawings more particularly, H indicates generally a handle which is provided with a central borev 10 and made of insulating material such as wood or the like. The handle is cylindrical in shape and elongated, as shown in Figure l,l and its one end is telescoped by a cap C,

the cap C being preferably of insulating materlal and consisting in a head portion 11, and a tubular portion 12, which telescopes the associated end of the handle H. i

The head 11, of the cap C'is provided with a central threaded bore, adapted to receive 'the threaded end 13 of the plunger P. The

plunger P is'adapted to slide within the bore 10, of the handle H and is of insulat ing material. j Between the end of handle extending with the cap C and the head of cap is interposed a coil spring 14, 'which is adapted 'to normally urge ythe handle H forward with respect to the cap C. The end of the handle H oppositeto that associated with the cap C is enlarged as at 15 and the bore 10 is also enlarged at the same end of the handle as at 16. This end of the handle has fitted thereon a ferrule F which consists in the cylindrical portion 17, which extends about the outer periphery of the enlarged portion 15 of the handle H and made Aflush therewith. The forward end of the cylindrical portion 17 continues into an inwardly extending portion 18 which is frusto-conical in shape and adapted to fit within the enlargement 16 of the handle bore 10. Within the frusto-conical portion 18 of the ferrule there is `provided a wedgeshaped opening, and, within said opening here is fitted a pair of supporting memers 19.

The faces of the members 19 are adapted to lit one against the other when said members are positioned within the ferrule F as illustrated in Figure 2, while the outer edge of each member is adapted to fit within the tapered aperture 18 of the ferrule. Adjacent to the outer end of each member v19, and u on the outer `edge thereof, there is provi ed an offset, and from said offset there extends a threaded stud 20. The studs .204

' ment upon the studs, 20. -flhe outer end portion 24 of each jaw is arcuate in shape and recessed complemental to each other. Each `jaw portion 24 has its free end formed with an arcuate shaped recess as at 25. When the jaws 24 are brought together, as illustrated in Figure 2, the recesses 25 will enable the operator to grasp a small fuse between the end of the jaws, While between the inner edges of the jaws 24, a larger fuse may be grasped, thus providing a means for grasping fusesof different diameter.

Each jaw supportin member 19 is connected to the plunger by a metallic strip 26, said strip in each instance being resilient and capable of spreading the supporting 'elements 19 apart, as illustrated in Figure 4,

at an anIgIle to the longitudin when positioned within the outer end of the ferrule. The members 26 are brought together at their inner ends as at 27 and properly secured to the plunger R The outer ends of each member 26 may be secured in any suitable manner to the jaw supporting member 19. A v

In the use of the present device, assuming that `it is `desired to change a primary fuse of a'potential transformer on a high voltage circuit without cutting oli' the current, 'then the handle H should be grasped With one hand, as in Figure 1, and the cap C pressed forwardly on the handle in order to force the plunger P forwardly to the position shown in Figure 4. In this position the jaw supporting elements 19 will e extended from the ferrule F and the jaws J carried thereby wills/be brought to a position so that the fuse will be grasped between the concaved free ends thereof when said jaws are brought together. the fuse is of large diameter thensthe same should -be -positioned so thatit will be received between the inner concaved edges of the jaws .T. The handlefI-I may now be ermitted to return to its normal position wit reference to the jaws .I, under the tension of the spring 19',`and thus grasp the fuse between the jaws .l. The fuse may now be pulled and a newone placed in between the jaws and positioned to re lace the fuse which has been drawn or pu led.

It is pointed out that in placing a fuse in position, the fuse should be first positioned so that the ends are restin upon the s ring clips to receive them and en a quick thrust upon the handle H will cause the fuse ends .to properly seat. Where the fuse to be manipulated is situated above the head of the o tor, which is standard practice,.,it would be to an advantage to dis se the 'aws axis o the handle as illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 1. As is obvious by this mi?? ment, the fuses could be drawn horizon Y and without any great eiort on' the part of the o rator.

It 1s pointed out that the construction of this device is such that the operator is entirely insulated from the fuse which is being drawn and thus any danger to 'the operator is eliminated.

While I have shown and described the preferred form of my invention, I wish it to be understood that theconstruction, combination and arrangement of arts, may be changed by those skilled in t e art without departing from the spirit of the invention, as indicated by the appended claims.

I claim f A l. A device of the character described, comprising a handle provided with a socket in its one end, apair 'of' distensible sp-ring iin ers disposed in said socket and adapted to ie drawn yinwardly and Within the handle for depressing the same toward each other, a supporting lug carried by each spring finger at its free end, and a jaw pivotally supported at the free end of each lug.

2.1'A `device of the character described, comprising a handle provided with a socket in its one end, apair of distensible spring lingers disposed in said socket and adapted to be drawn inwardly and within the handle for depressing the same toward each other, a supporting .lug carried by each spring finger at its free end, and a jaw pivotally supported at the free end of each lug and adapted for lateral swinging movement.

3. A deviceof the character described, comprising a handle provided with a socket at its one end, a bore extending longitudinally of the handle and communicating with said socket, a pair of. distensible spring fingers disposed within said socket,means for securing the inner ends of said spring lingers together for drawing the same within the bore of said handle whereby to depress said fingers toward each other, a rod extending through the -longitudinalbore of said handle and connected to the inner ends of said sp fingers -whereby the drawn inwardly for may epressing the ree ends toward each other, a jaw carried by each spring linger, a ca upon the other end of said handle with whibh the associated Tend of the lug is connected, and a. springv interposed betweensaid' cap and the free en of sald handle.

4. A fuse pulling device includin a pair t of op ing jaws, means whereb t el jaws may e retracted or advanced with respect to each other, and an adjustable pivotal sunplport for each jaw whereby to permit late swmgmgmovement thereof.

' nicnas-E. NIBLooK.

(slpring lingers y 

